“Let us cast on the Lord our burdens in the spirit of faith and hope through prayer. Almsgiving, fasting and prayer will help us leave behind unnecessary bags and baggages on our Lenten journey with Jesus. Our Mother Mary will accompany us," Cardinal Tagle said.

File Photo / RCAM-AOC

During Lenten Season, the Archbishop of Manila also called on the faithful to do acts of charity by supporting the Fast2fFeed Campaign of Pondo ng Pinoy’s Hapag-Asa, a program that feeds hungry and malnourished children around the country.

Ash Wednesday is a day of universal fast and abstinence in the Church. Fasting is required from ages 18 to 60, and abstinence is from age 14 (CIC 1252).

On this day, ashes are blessed and imposed after the homily during the Mass. These ashes came from the palms blessed in the previous Palm Sunday which have been burned. The priest, deacon or lay minister says, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” while imposing the ashes.

The 40-day Season of Lent begins from Ash Wednesday to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. The altars are not decorated with flowers. Musical instruments may be played. In most Churches, a purple cloth is used to cover religious images. (Jheng M. Prado / RCAM-AOC)